List Your Way to Being Motivated

If you are like many people, getting motivated to study isn’t always easy. There are always other tasks that seem conveniently to interfere with your study habits: progammes on the telly that simply must be watched, clothes needing washed, dogs needing walked . . . you get the idea.

Unfortunately, studying is one of those responsibilities that can have terrible consequences should you choose to procrastinate or, worse, not study at all. But how does one find the time and energy and the focus needed to get motivated?  I have the answer, and better yet, it requires just three easy steps.

1.  Portion your time and topics.  Too often we lose our focus and energy when faced with a large amount of information that must be learned and studied.  By breaking down your studying into smaller steps that require less time to complete (say no more than 15 minutes), you will be more encouraged – and motivated – to get started, and to stay on track.

Look at how much time you have to devote to your studying.  Look at what you need to study. Then create a written list of what topics to cover and how much time you will be devoting to each.  Just by making this plan of action you will become more encouraged.

2.  Prioritise your life and your learning.  Sometimes when we know we need to study, it can seem as if suddenly there are a million other things that need attended to at the same time.  Work demands, social demands, domestic demands, whatever the distraction, it can make studying seem impossible.  In turn your motivation to start studying will take a nosedive.

When it seems as if everything and everyone needs your attention now, take a moment to once again create a written list of what you must accomplish, then prioritize it.  Rewrite the list so that it is in the order of what must be completed first, second, third, etc. Remember to include the list from Step 1 of getting motivated. Which lessons must be studied before others?  You should make this distinction based on your familiarity with the concepts and your level of understanding of each.

3.  Reward yourself for crossing off your list items.  Humans are simple creatures sometimes.  We all like to be rewarded for a job well done.  Be sure to place your lists in an easy-to-view location, then be sure to cross off the completed tasks on your lists. For some people simply seeing how much you are accomplishing will be reward and encouragement enough.  For others, you may want to plan for a special treat after completing a certain number of items from your lists.

Finding the time, energy and focus to get motivated to study isn’t always easy, but it is possible if you portion your time and topics, prioritise your responsibilities, and reward yourself for your success each step of the way.  Your sense of accomplishment and pride will feel wonderful!